Monday, November 05, 2007

Last Tuesday, I attended CBC Edmonton's open forum on the Resource Royalties issue in Alberta. It was an interested affair with probably around 300 people piled into the auditorium at the Royal Alberta Museum.

The forum panel included the articulate Diana Gibson of the Parkland Institute, Al Hyndman from Magnus Limited, Tory House Leader Dave Hancock, and Dave Yager from HSE Integrated.

Notables in attendance included Alberta Liberal MLAs Hugh MacDonald, Harry Chase, and Bruce Miller, former Edmonton-Strathcona Green candidate Cameron Wakefield, U of A School of Business Dean Mike Percy, Federal ND candidate Linda Duncan, and New Democrat Leader Brian Mason. I think I also noticed fellow-blogger Ken Chapman in the audience.

Though the forum was geared towards the resource royalty rates, much of the debate centered around findings of the Auditor General that has shown that the Tories failed to Billions of Dollars under the current royalty regime over the past number of years.

Also, the best quote of the night has to go to Dave Hancock with his understatement of a response to Diana Gibson: "government is not a stiletto."

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The opinions expressed on this blog represent my own and not those of my employer or any organization I may be affiliated with.In addition, my thoughts and opinions change from time to time. I consider this a necessary consequence of having an open mind. This blog is intended to provide a semi-permanent point in time snapshot and manifestation of the various ideas running around my brain, and as such any thoughts and opinions expressed within out-of-date posts may not the same, nor even similar, to those I may hold today.

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Who is Dave Cournoyer? I am a writer, blogger, communicator, occasional media pundit, political watcher, & proud life-long Albertan. I studied Political Science at the University of Alberta and have served as Vice-President (External) of the U of A Students' Union, Chair of the Council of Alberta University Students, and communications coordinator for Alberta's official opposition party.